Producing artificial silk



Sept. 8, 1936. GRAUER 2,053,660

' PRODUCING ARTIFICIAL SILK Filed Nov. 3, 1934 I In ll lnhl In re 71W.

m-M 6mm Patented Sept. 8, 1936 PRODUCING ARTIFICIAL SILK Theodor Grauer,Horn, Thurgau, Switzerland Application November 3, 1934, Serial No.751,401 In Germany. November 13, 1933 9 Claims. (01. 18 8) Thisinvention relates to an improved process oftreating artificial silk andlike material subsequent to spinning, and to an appliance for carryingthis process into effect.

According to the invention I employ so-called spinning rims. The rimsare conveyed from the spinning machine into the troughs, wherein thematerial is to be treated subsequently, not in an ungoverned manner, butin an exactly prescribed m manner, wherein care is taken that the rimsremain in the previous mutual position. The distance existing between,the. rims on the spinning machine is maintained during their conveyanceand the rims areconveyed to the troughs by grav 15 ity and roll on theirown circularedges, the rims of one machine being rolled into the troughin unison as a whole. Each one machine has allotted to it one trough thelength of which cor-v The rims ar-v responds to that of the machine.rive in .therespective trough by gravity and with the same mutualdistance as they are disposed inmthe spinning machine. In the trough areprovided suspended or bottom-mounted elastic packing rings between therims which rings are laterally shiftable and interconnected by distancechains.

the trough they are pressed against one of the end walls thereof bymeans of an end plate likewise provided in the trough, whereby'they are30 packed against one another and against the trough. The subsequenttreatment of the filament may, then take place under pressure or invacuo. The washing treatmentunder pressure is of particular advantage.

The present process and appliance further afford the notable advantagethat no fixinglmembers are required for the rimsas is the case insimilar arrangements, although they rest in the trough with theircylindrical surface extending horizontally. On the contrary, the rimsmay rest on the bottom of the trough by means of projecting flangeswhich protect the filament from damage. On that end against which therims are pressed the trough is provided with a pipe connectionthroughwhich, in the case of the above-mentioned treatment underpressure, the treating liquids are supplied. The liquids penetratethrough the filament coils and aredrained either through an overflowarranged on the upper portion of the trough or through a bottom valve.

After the treatment of the rims in the trough, the end plate iswithdrawn whereupon the rims may be grasped mechanically or by hand ontheir 55 upper edges and lifted from the trough.

. of two end plates.

After the rims have rolled into When the end plate is retired, theintermediate packing rings are spread out from one another by means of adistance chain which can be expanded only to such anextent that theplates exactly come into the prescribed position.

In some cases it will be of advantage'not to press the rims against theone end wall of the trough, but to press them together from both sidestoward the center of the trough by means In this case the liquid has tobe fed through one of the end plates.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood andreadily-carried into effect, an embodiment of the appliance adapted forthe performance of the process is illustrated diagrammatically by way ofexample in the accompanying drawing in which 'Figure 1 is a section online II of Figure 2 and shows a trough for the treatment of the filamentwith ,fully reeled rims therein,

Figure 2 is a cross section on line II-II of Figure 1,

Figures 3 and 4 are sections of modified troughs on reduced scale,

Figures 5, 6 and '7 show details of the construction of the trough onvarious scales,

Figures 8 and 9 show the suspended packing rings and their mutualdistances.

l denotes a trough which is of about the same length as the respectivespinning machine and is situated in such a manner relatively to thelatter, that the rims can be rolled directly thereinto. The trough maybe mounted stationarily on the ground or for rotation about alongitudinal axle-3, as illustrated in Figure 3. ,7

. In the trough l is arranged an end plate or cover 4, Figures 1 and 6,which by two arms 5 and 6 projects beyond the upper edge of the troughand can be shifted in longitudinal direction by means of rollers .l, 8that run on U-rails 9 providedon both-outer sides of the trough I.

The cover 4 can be pressed against the rims l5 placed in the trough bymeans of a mechanism, Figures 1-4, which comprises a hand lever IImounted on a fixed transverse shaft l2, situated about at the level ofthe central axis of, and outside the trough (in Figure 6 this shaft forsake of clearness is shown as situated below the trough) and two camslot segments [3 and I4 rigid with shaft l2, Figures 6 and '7, which areengaged by the rollers l and 8. The cover 4 is fitted onits inner sidewith a packing ring N5 of rubber or the like. The same is the case withthe intermediate rings l1. Cover 4 and rings I! press the rims againstone another and thus pack them.

It is of importance that the rims l are constructed so as to withstandthe packing pressure without being deformed. To this end the rims arestrengthened on their base by annular ribs 21 projecting laterally onboth sides. The intermediate rings ll therefore by their rubber packingspress against these annular ribs 21 and not against the walls proper ofthe rims.

The intermediate rings H are suspended in the trough I by means oflateral arms I9, 20 which rest on the upper edge of the trough. The armsI9, 20 are further connected with one another and with the cover 4 andthe trough by chainlike links 2|, 22, Figures 2 and 5, so that thedistance existing between each two rings I! and the trough wall andcover 4 is exactly limited in outward but not in inward direction by thelength of the links 2|, 22.

When the cover 4 is retired, the intermediate rings I! are drawn fromone another to such an extent as admitted by the links 2|, 22. They havethen the pitch b marked in Figure 8. This pitch corresponds to the pitchor position of the rims on the spinning machine, that is, to the mutualspacing in which the rims are reeled in the machine.

All rims [5 are rolled in unison from the spinning machine into thetrough by means of suitable conveying means which are not representedfor sake of clearness. Each rim drops into the space existing betweenthe respective packing rings l1 onto longitudinal ribs 23, 24, Figures 2and 6, made from rubber or the like and mounted on the bottom of thetrough I. These ribs have perforations 28, Figure 1, to allow drainingof the liquid from the trough.

After all rims have entered the trough, the cover 4 is pressed againstthem by means of the mechanism H-l4, that is, by depression of the handlever ll all rims at once are packed. They have then the pitch marked bya, Figures 1 and 9.

The liquid intended for the treatment of the filament is supplied forexample through a pipe 25, Figure 1, so as to arrive in the inner spaceof the rims, and penetrates through small holes provided in the bottomof the rims and through the spires of the filament. The liquid collectson the bottom of the trough and is drained through an overflow 29 orbottom valve 26, Figure 1.

It is further possible to dry the filament after the washing treatmentby means of hot dry air which is forced through the apparatus.

The rims are withdrawn in the same simple manner as they are inserted.To this end the cover 4 is retired by means of the mechanism l |l4,whereby the mutual distance between the rings I1 is enlarged by thelinks 2 I, 22, so that the rims can be easily removed by hand or by asuitable lifting device. Or the trough is tilted about its longitudinalaxle 3, Figure 3, so that all rims together drop onto a belt conveyor orthe like (not shown). Instead of one cover 4, two covers may be providedwhich are shiftable toward one another and press the rims l5 and ringsI! together. In this case one of these covers has mounted on it the pipeconnection for the liquid and the drying am What I claim and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. Process of handling artificial filaments after spinning, whichcomprises winding the filaments within the peripheral grooves of aplurality of separate coaxially and closely arranged fellyshaped rims ofconsiderably greater diameter than width, continuing the winding to adepth which leaves the outer surface of each package within the outercircumference of its rim, and then rolling the rims simultaneously insubstantially their same relative positions into a treating tank.

2. Process of handling artificial filaments after spinning, whichcomprises winding the filaments within the peripheral grooves of aplurality of separate coaxially and closely arranged fellyshaped rims ofconsiderably greater diameter than width, continuing the winding to adepth which leaves the outer surface of each package within the outercircumference of its rim, then rolling the rims simultaneously insubstantially their same relative positions into a treating tank, andthen squeezing the group of rims axially to form a tight unit.

3. Apparatus for handling artificial filaments after spinning,comprising a tank, a group of separate felly-shaped perforated rims ofconsiderably greater diameter than width resting on their peripheries insaid tank in horizontal axial alinement, the filaments being woundwithin the outwardly opening peripheral grooves of said rims withoutprojecting beyond the edges of said grooves, means mounted on said tankfor squeezing said group of rims axially to form a tight unit, and meansfor introducing a fluid into the hollow space within said unit.

4. Apparatus for handling artificial filaments after spinning,comprising a tank, a group of separate felly-shaped perforated rims ofconsiderably greater diameter than width resting on their peripheries insaid tank in horizontal axial alinement, the filaments being woundwithin the outwardly opening peripheral grooves of said rims withoutprojecting beyond the edges of said grooves, a set of packing ringsadapted to be inserted between the said rims, means mounted on said tankfor squeezing said group of rims axially to form a tight unit, and meansfor introducing a fluid into thehollow space within said unit.

5. Apparatus for handling artificial filaments after spinning,comprising a tank, a group of separate telly-shaped perforated rims ofconsiderably greater diameter than width resting on their peripheries insaid tank in horizontal axial alinement, the filaments being woundwithin the outwardly opening peripheral grooves of said rims withoutprojecting beyond the edges of said grooves, an end plate adapted toclose the opening of one outermost rim of said group, means on said tankfor moving said end plate to squeeze said group of rims against a crosswall of said tank to form a tight unit thereof, and means to introduce afluid through said cross wall into the space within said unit.

6. Apparatus as described in claim 5, wherein said end plate is providedwith arms extending over the side walls of the tank and downward, guidemeans being provided for the ends of said arms, said means for movingsaid end plate being connected to said arms.

'7. Apparatus for handling artificial filaments after spinning, acomprising a tank; a set of packing rings; an end plate; means wherebysaid packing rings and end plate are mounted upon said tank so as tostand upright in parallel relation and so as to be movable axially;means interconnecting said end plate and said cross wall to permit alimited relative movement thereof, means on said packing rings engagedby said interconnecting means so that each packing ring is pulled apartfrom its neighbor as said end plate is moved outward from said crosswall; a set of felly-shaped rims adapted to fit into the spaces betweensaid packing rings, between said end plate and the adjacent ring, andbetween said cross wall and the adjacent ring, the filaments being woundwithin the outwardly opening peripheral grooves of said rims; and meansto draw said end plate toward said cross wall to squeeze all saidelements into a tight hollow unit.

8. Apparatus as described in claim 3, wherein said tank is tiltable.

9. Apparatus for handling artificial filaments subsequent to spinning,comprising a. set of tellyshaped perforated rims each adapted to have afilament wound into its outwardly facing peripheral groove, said rimshaving axially projecting flanges serving as packing and stiffeningflanges, said rims being adapted to be squeezed together axially to forma tight hollow unit THEODOR GRAUER.

